Sex-Specific Gene Expression in the Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Before and After Cocaine Exposure.

ABSTRACT: The nucleus accumbens plays a major role in the response of mammals to cocaine. In animal models and human studies, the addictive effects of cocaine and relapse probability have been shown to be greater in females. Sex-specific differential expression of key transcripts at baseline and after prolonged withdrawal could underlie these differences. To distinguish between these possibilities, gene expression was analyzed in four groups of mice (cycling females, ovariectomized females treated with estradiol or placebo, and males) 28 days after they had received seven daily injections of saline or cocaine. As expected, sensitization to the locomotor effects of cocaine was most pronounced in the ovariectomized mice receiving estradiol, was greater in cycling females than in males, and failed to o

SUBMITTER: LaRese TP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6364626 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature